If you were to make a list of NBA players least likely to receive a technical foul, Gordon Hayward might top that list. Or bottom it, I guess, depending on your view of things. What I’m trying to say is that you wouldn’t expect Gordon Hayward to get very many technicals because he seems so nice.

And if you assumed that, you’d be right. Well, until last night at least, when Hayward got his first technical. Ever. At any level. ...

Do these photos (one more after the jump) blow your mind? Kobe Bryant smiling and wearing Celtics gear just seems so completely wrong that it almost feels right. Not really, but that was a good way to end that sentence.

Anyways, these pics come from Kobe’s predraft workouts, way back in 1996. Boston had the sixth pick back then, so they worked out Kobe before settling on Antoine Walker as the young star who would lead them out of the...

“I’m Here With…” is Graydon Gordian’s examination of NBA television announcers, a look at the characters who give voice to our favorite game. His first subject — Jeff Van Gundy.

A few years ago I sat down to watch the 1980 Wimbledon final, one of if not the most famous match in the history of tennis. At the beginning of the match, as the frizzy-haired John McEnroe and the indelibly cool Bjorn Borg prepared for the first serve, the...

Wednesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers got what was inarguably their biggest win of the year, at home against the Chicago Bulls. Not only did they beat the team with the East’s best record, but they won handily, getting out to a 20-point lead in the third quarter and keeping the Bulls’ reigning MVP Derrick Rose on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. It was a statement win, one that solidified the Sixers as a real threat in the Eastern...

Here’s the scene, courtesy of CBS 13:

A man named Leo, a regular attendee at Sacramento City Council meetings, threw his wallet at the mayor. Leo was complaining about having his identification stolen and apparently was upset that Johnson did not help him recover it.

KJ asked him to wrap it up several times before Leo used an expletive and chucked his wallet at him.

I don’t get politics.

(via Jon Santiago)

Kevin Durant might not think it was a dunk, but the Los Angeles Clippers certainly think it is. That’s why they put it on a shirt and are selling it online for $20.

Pretty quick turnaround here, which is pretty necessary when you’ve had nothing to cheer for until last season. Why not maximize your profits when something awesome happens? It’s called smart business. I learned it from watching MSNBC.

This is at least the second “Poster Child”...

Ballin: Take your pick between LaMarcus Aldridge’s 28 points and 14 rebounds or Stephen Curry’s 29 points and 12 assists. Or Derrick Rose’s 32 points and 13 assists. Or Amar’e Stoudemire’s 34 and 11. Lots of good action to choose from.

Not so much: Trevor Ariza had more turnovers than made shots, which wouldn’t be a problem if he didn’t take 10 shots and play 33 minutes.

Smooth: Check out Jamaal Tinsley over here doing things.

I...

Wesley Matthews is only eight inches taller than Isaiah Thomas, so this is only an 8 out of 10 on the embarrassing scale. This is an infinity.

As we all know, the New York Knicks are the worst team in NBA history, there is no chance they will ever get any better and it’s impossible that they’ll be able to make things work with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire on the same team. This much is unquestionably true and in no way hyperbolic.

Because they are the worst team ever, Mike D’Antoni’s job is on the line because it’s certainly not the front office’s fault that this...

Exhibit A — Serge Ibaka blocks 10 shots against the Mavericks This is great shot-blocking. Since 2000, 10 blocks is tied for the third-highest one game total, just behind Keon Clark, JaVale McGee (both 12) and Marcus Camby (11). Plus, the Thunder won by nine, so these were very important to the cause.

Exhibit B — Marcus Camby blocks three straight shots in 16 secondsExtrapolated over a minute, this comes out to 15 blocks per minute. Over 36...

Gregg Popovich hasn’t been this angry since that time Skeets asked him about Lamar Odom’s cologne.

Just kidding. He’s always this angry.

(via Oskar Jamtander)

Yesterday we learned that Kevin Durant didn’t think Blake Griffin’s monster dunk was all that. He grew up in the 90s so he still uses that lingo, plus he loves Amanda Bynes, but really we all do so let’s not jump down his throat.

Anyway, since Kevin Durant doesn’t care about monster dunks against his team, I had to find out what else doesn’t impress him. After a 6-hour conversation, I found out that Kevin Durant’s a real Shania...

It feels so weird that we’re already preparing for the All-Star Game when we’re only six weeks in to the season, but that’s life in a post-lockout world. Everything’s shorter now, which is why we got about 15 hours to vote for starters for this year’s game. But no matter how weird it feels, the All-Star Game is coming and this is what your favorite players are going to be wearing.

As you’d expect, these come from adidas and they’re...

Ballin: Point guards, you guys. Steve Nash went for 30 points on 13-16 shooting and added 10 assists. Brandon Jennings had 31 points, seven threes and eight assists. Chris Paul scored 34, plus had 11 assists and three steals. Where is Gary Payton when you need him?

Not so much: The Raptors scored 64 points against the Celtics and lost by 36 points, but somehow, that wasn’t the worst performance of the night. That goes to the Bobcats,...

That’s Rick Carlisle’s second hilarious ejectionof the year, which means we’re on pace for another four on the way. Maybe he throws a cup full of water at a referee, maybe he sits in the lane in protest of a call or maybe he takes off all his clothes and sits them in his coach’s seat like a fake Rick Carlisle then spends an entire quarter naked yelling at an official while insisting that all technical fouls be given...

How about that Blake Griffin dunk? You know, the one on Kendrick Perkins. Yeah, that one. You remember it, I’m sure. Only happened a couple days ago and everyone everywhere talked about it all the time. It was pretty cool.

But you know who didn’t like? Here’s a hint — he plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and he’s led the league in scoring the past two seasons. From Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman:

KD when asked what...

This made me laugh so, so much. Take it away, Jared Wade of Eight Points, Nine Seconds:

Early in the second half last night, Deron Williams did just about everything a ball-handler can do to paralyze an entire team’s defense. He maneuvered around the Pacers’ attempt to defend the Nets pick-and-roll like Baryshnikov, drawing both defenders and freezing every other Indiana player into an awed trance. The whole lane opens up for Sheldon Williams and D-Will delivers a perfect pass.

Then,...

I think we can all agree that “Toronto Raptors” is kind of a silly name for a professional sporting franchise. It’s not just that the name was clearly influenced by the popularity of “Jurassic Park,” that the raptor’s natural habitat seems to be in the Mongolia and China regions of the globe, or that the mascot is based on a number of anatomical inaccuracies … wait, it’s all of those things. Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler are like, “Really?”

But...

We all love Ivan Johnson, the 27-year-old Hawks rookie who plays in diamond fronts, doesn’t watch basketball and is frightening in a friendly kind of way, like the scary guy on your block who is actually pretty nice. In a season that’s seen a lot of random, little known players pop up in games, Johnson’s stood out as a bright spot/human meme who plays as hard as he possibly can at all times.

But if for some reason you...

On today’s live episode of “The Fix,” Skeets and Tas discuss the Grizzlies’ grit and grind OT win, Rudy Gay’s game-saving block, the yawn-tastic Memphis announcers, All-Star role player Anderson Varejao, Kyrie Irving vs. John Wall, and the Pacers slick ABA throwback jerseys. All that, plus our dream NBA Dunk Contest participants, Ross Mathews’ insane voice, Trey’s “A-YO,” and new Royal Rumble contestant, JD.

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Any time you see a big man bringing the ball up court in an NBA game without looking terrified, dangerous or awkward, you immediately hear stories about how he was a point guard until he hit a growth spurt. That’s a favorite anecdote announcers go to for Dwight Howard, which seems like a complete lie since he’s so stiff in the post, but whatever. The point is, a lot of tall guys used to be short guys when they were...